The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-04-27
EXIT THE FORESINGER.
A Picturesque Episode in
Dutch Reformed Church
History.


This month has seen the wiping out of
a religions functionary who has held
sway among the descendants of the early
Holland settlers of New York and yicin-
ity for over two hundred years.
In 1926 the first Dutch Reformed
Church Of America was organized in
New York and held religious services in
a spacious room built for the purpose over
horse mill But it was not until two
years later chat John Michaeiis, the first
Dutch minister, arrived in New York.
AT that lime and for two centuries
later, or until 1888. the "dominies' of the
Dutch churches divided The conduct OF
the Sunday services with the 'schorister, y
or foresinger,n who, in those days, sat
at small desk Immediately beneath the
pulpit. The regular duties OF the ancient
choristers were TO open the morning
service by reading the commandments
and a chapter of Scripture and lead in the
slow singing OF psalm or hymn. Upon
the unavoidable absence of the preacher
they used to read the sermon.
LAST OF ALL.
At the last annual meeting of the
Dutch Reformed Church of Schraaien-
burgh. New Jersey, Isaac D. Demarest,
who has served that church as chorister
for fitty-two consecutive years, rendered
l. ~
though Mr.. Demarest has not for years
carried out in full the early duties of his
office, his presence at the old Bergen
County Church, and the fact that he was
the last Of the. ancient order of choristers,
attracted hundreds OF visitors to Sehraa-
lenburgh that they might say they had
seen aud heard him. He seemed to be
one of the remaining visible links that
bind the present time to the good old
days.
The church historians of the Reformed
faith have taken as much pains to hand
down the names of the church choristers
as they have those OF the preachers,
showing their Importance in their eyes,
and preserving several interesting facts
that lend spice to the records. The
Dutch Church in America, like the par
ent in Holland, suffered for years from
an internal strife that finally gave birth
to the seceders, who have just
ceased to exist as n separate de-
nomination by deciding to merge
themselves into the Christian Dutch
Reformed Church that has gained foot
hold in the Middle Western States. The
Rev. Warmoldus Kuyhers, who came to
this country about l770. was one of the
leading and most picturesque ilgnrss in
this fight. During this civil war, church
doors were barred against the pastors
and personal contests actually occurred
within the walls of the houses of worship
It was not unusual for those early minis
tiers TO wear cooked hat and sword
which they took off and laid behind them
in the pulpit. On one occasion the Rev
Mr.. Kuyhers, apprehending resistance to
his entering church at Hackensack, called
for his sword, buckled it on his thigh and,
thus accoutred, entered the building and
the pulpit, declaring that he would assert
his rights.
A RELIGIOUS WEAPON.
James Vandelinda, the church choris-
ter, was the leader of those opposed to
the pastor, and used the opportunities of
his office TO prevent the minister from
having an opportunity of preaching by
giving out the whole of the 18th Psalm,
which, if sung in the slow way that then
prevailed, would have consumed the en-
tire day. But the Holland preacner, who
is described as having been person be-
low the medium size, OF a vigorous con-
stitution and possessing powerful voice,
was equal to the occasion, and after the
usual time had been occupied in singing
he arose in the pulpit and began to preach
in voice that finally drowned that of
the "foresinger.'
When Mr.. Demarest, the last represen-
tatiye of this old class of choristers, Of
tered his resignation, The gave brief
sketch Of the headsingers, or foresingers,
Of the Schraalenburgh Church, in the
course of the past 105 years, during
ninety-two of which he and his father,
John Demarest, filed the office
In the year 1774 the Rev. Warmoldus
Kuyhers, the preacher spoken OF, was pas
tor of the church. He preached in
Dutch. John Demarest, the chorister,
led in the Dutch singing. In the year
1779 the Rev. James V. C. Romeyn be-
came pastor OF the church, and change
was made to having one-third of the serv-
ice conducted in the English tongue. John
Dernarest couldn't sing in English and
gave way, through the English part of
the service, to John p. Durie. He died
January 5, 1925, having acted as chorister
for rorty-one years and having lived
eighty-twc years.
With his death ended Dutch singing in
the church. Frederick Mabie and Jacob
BrinckerhoH served the Schraalenburgh
Church from 1926 to 1885, when Isaac D.
Demarest, son of the old Dutch choris-
ter, began the duties of the office that he
viii fill until the close of this month.