Btw, since this is a discussion thread about this song, let me mention that I have rarely if ever heard any contemporary [post 1950] African American choir use supposedly Black slavery dialectic phrasing for Rise Up Shepherd and Follow or any other African American spiritual.

A dialect version of Rise Up Shepherd and Follow is provided by Q in the Folklore: Website on the 'Drinking Gourd' Mudcat thread whose link is given above.

Regardless of whether "Foller, foller, rise up Shepherd an' foller, foller,Foller de star of Bethlehem" was the way the song was collected, in my not at all humble opinion, most African Americans
I know would take great offense to the song being sung with 'des' and 'follers'.