Go Tell It on the Mountain

“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” — Revelation 22:17

Part One: The Seventh Day

The novel opens on John Grimes’s fourteenth birthday in 1930s Harlem. John, the stepson of Gabriel Grimes, a strict Pentecostal preacher, struggles with his religious upbringing and emerging sense of self. His family attends a Saturday night church service, where John feels both drawn to and repelled by the fervent worship. His mother, Elizabeth, prays for his salvation, while his younger brother Roy resents their father’s harsh discipline.

Part Two: The Prayers of the Saints

This section delves into the backstories of three key characters through their prayers during the church service.

Florence’s Prayer

Florence, Gabriel’s sister, recalls her difficult childhood in the South, her escape to the North, and her failed marriage. She resents Gabriel’s religious hypocrisy, knowing his past sins, and prays for strength to confront him.

Gabriel’s Prayer

Gabriel reflects on his sinful youth, his conversion, and his failed first marriage to Deborah, who was infertile. He later had a son, Royal, out of wedlock, who died violently. His second marriage to Elizabeth and his harsh treatment of John stem from guilt and unresolved anger.

Elizabeth’s Prayer

Elizabeth remembers her early life, her love for Richard (John’s biological father), and his tragic suicide after being falsely accused of a crime. She married Gabriel for stability but remains haunted by Richard’s memory and fears for John’s future.

Part Three: The Threshing-Floor

John experiences a violent spiritual crisis during the church service. Overwhelmed by guilt, fear, and divine visions, he collapses and undergoes a dramatic conversion. The congregation celebrates his rebirth, but the moment is ambiguous—John’s salvation may be as much about escaping his father’s wrath as true faith.

Key Ideas

• Religious fervor and its psychological impact on individuals.
• The struggle for identity amid racial and familial oppression.
• The cyclical nature of sin, guilt, and redemption.
• The tension between spiritual salvation and personal freedom.
• The weight of generational trauma in Black families.