Upon returning from his period of convalescence (see 1875.08), Kuyper was determined to make a clearer distinction between political and ecclesiastical reporting with respect to the Zondagsblad van De Standaard. His continued need for rest meant that the final issue (no. 165) of the Zondagsblad came out on May 27, 1877 while the inaugural issue of the new ecclesiastical and theological weekly, which he titled De Heraut, first appeared on December 7, 1877. (On the origin of De Heraut, see 1869.16 and 1872.02; on its successful launching, see 1987.06.)

The purpose of the new weekly was to reacquaint the common people of the Netherlands with the principles of the Reformed faith. According to a promotion circular from J.H. Kruyt, the editorial clerk, dated December 1, 1877, Kuyper had found twelve colleagues to work on the paper: Rev. A. Brummelkamp, I. Esser (former resident of Timor), E. Gerdes (man of letters), Rev. J.A. Gerth van Wijk, Rev. W.H. Gispen, Rev. A.H. de Hartog, Rev. Ph.J. Hoedemaker, W. van Oosterwijk Bruyn (chairman of the Federation of Young Men’s Associations), Rev. H. Pierson (pastor and director of the Mission Homes at Zetten), Rev. Ph.S. van Ronkel, Rev. F.L. Rutgers, and Dr. Th.C.L. Wijnmalen (associate librarian of the Royal Library in The Hague).

Kuyper’s weekly contributions to De Heraut fell into three categories: (1) biblical-theological articles (the so-called “primary articles”); (2) devotionals (the so-called “secondary articles”); and (3) opinion pieces and reflections on the contemporary church (the so-called “leaders”). In the first years the weekly “leaders” frequently addressed the theological and ecclesiological conflicts of the era.

A great number of Kuyper’s biblical-theological articles were subsequently published in book form as were many of his approximately 2,200 devotionals. The writing of devotionals, one of his most beloved activities, kept Kuyper busy from week to week on Sundays. During his tenure as prime minister (1901–1905) and during his trip around the Mediterranean Sea (1905–1906), Kuyper left off writing “primary articles” and “leaders,” but he continued to publish his weekly devotionals. His first devotional, titled “Als het gespeende kind” [Like a weaned child] and based on Psalm 131:2, was published in the first issue of De Heraut; the last, titled “Uw harte worde niet ontroerd” [Let not your hearts be troubled] and based on John 14:1, appeared in De Heraut, no. 2232, October 31, 1920.

On January 9, 1887, in the wake of the Doleantie, the name of the weekly became De Heraut van de Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland.

De Heraut served as the mouthpiece of the Dutch Reformed Churches from October 1, 1888 until its union with the Christian Reformed Church (June 17, 1892). The first issue of the merged churches’ newsletter, Het Kerkblad. Officiëel orgaan van de Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland, was published on July 1, 1892. On October 12, 1913, the name became De Heraut voor de Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland.

H.H. Kuyper became the editor in chief after the death of his father on November 8, 1920. Due to lack of paper because of the wartime conditions, no. 3488, January 14, 1945 was the final issue.

For indexes of De Heraut from 1877 to 1944, see app. 1.03 and app. 1.08. Several facts and figures relating to the paper are given below.