The latter removing subsequently to Amsterdam, Gualtherus passed with great credit through the Latin school of that city, and at the age of twenty, was sent to the university at Leyden, where he studied humanity, science, philosophy and theology under Professors Van Es, Hollebeck, Van Peenen and Francius. After having "sate six years at the feet of these four Gamaliels," he returned to Amsterdam, and underwent liis preparatory examination on the 1st July, 1697, before the Classis of Amsterdam.
He received a call in the course of a couple of years after from the congregation at New-York, before which he made his debut on the last Sunday of October, 1699, being then in the 28th year of his age.
He served uninterruptedly and faithfully in this church for upwards of half a century, devoting all his learning and energies to the advancemeut of religion. He preached for the last time on the afternoon of the 29th Sept., 1751. After service, he returned home to prepare for a visit to Bergen, N. J., where he was to administer the Lord's Supper on the following Monday. But he was seized in his study by a most oppressive sense of suffocation, accompanied by an universal cold and clammy sweat, and followed by excruciating pains in the head, arms and legs. These continued three or four days, but he rallied at the close of the week and felt so much better, that it was presumed he was suffering only from a cold, caught on his return from preaching in consequence of a change in the weather. He continued to improve until 5 o'clock p. m. on Monday when he had a return of the attack, which increased, accompanied with great pain, notwithstanding all the art of medicine and the attention of friends, so that he could not rest, neither in nor out of bed.