(1) The person appointed and commissioned pursuant to § 17-2-116 shall have all the power and authority of the regular judge or chancellor in whose place the person is appointed, shall draw the same salary, have the same emoluments of office and shall continue to hold the courts and exercise the duties of the office, including the power to appoint a secretary at the same salary and under the same provisions as the regular judge or chancellor may have, which shall be in lieu of the secretarial help to which the regular judge or chancellor is entitled, until the regular judge recovers from the sickness or disability and appears on the first day of the term for the purposes of resuming the functions of judge or chancellor.
(2) Nothing in subsection (a) shall be construed to empower the special chancellor to appoint the clerks and masters of the chancery courts, which appointive power shall remain with the regular chancellor.