Young and Gray, “Standing on the Promises Book I-One More River To Cross” (audiobood reviewed by Trudy Thompson)

Review
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Title: Standing on the Promises Book I-One More River To Cross
Authors: Margaret Blair Young and Darius Aidan Gray
Publisher: Zarahemla Books
Narrated by: Margaret Blair Young
Genre: Historical Fiction
Audio Release Date: 2016
Listening Length: 8 hours 57 minutes
ASIN: B01C6BCLES
Available at audible.com
Price: $19.95

Reviewed By Trudy Thompson for the Association For Mormon Letters

The “Standing On The Promises” series of paperback books were originally rerelased by Zarahemla Books in 2012. Since that time, descendants of the original black Latter-Day Saint pioneers have come forward with additional information and a more detailed history of their struggles and triumphs.

In this audio rendition of “One More River To Cross,” we hear the story of Delilah Abel and her three sons. They are slaves on a plantation in the southern United States. Delilah’s husband had tried to escape years before, but was caught, whipped, and then sold. The story opens with the mother trying to awaken her son Elijah in the wee hours of the morning, and asking him to wake his brothers, Jeremiah and Daniel. Delilah urges her sons to hurry and rise, but to do so quietly-the reason soon becomes clear.

The day before, their “massa” (master) had suddenly and quietly told Elijah that he could leave anytime he wanted to-that he was free to go, and that he wouldn’t be chased or hunted down, and that he would be given papers stating so. In shock and disbelief, Elijah asks him to repeat his statement. Then, he quietly and hesitantly asks if that means his mother and brothers were free to go as well. Without directly answering the question, the slave master repeats to Elijah that he is free to go, and that he has the necessary skills to support himself. The master also firmly tells Elijah that he is not to mention a word of this to anyone, including his family.

Of course, Elijah tells his Mother immediately. Delilah knew immediately that this would probably be their one and only chance for all of them to be free. They leave quickly and quietly and wear as many of their clothes as they can, to not raise suspicion by carrying bags.

They begin their long and dangerous journey by walking, and are eventually aided by Quakers along the way. A Quaker family placed the four ex-slaves on a wagon and covered them with hay to take them back to his farm house for the night. The good Samaritans are concerned about Delilah-she is very sick, pale, weak, and coughing up blood.

The God-fearing Christian Delilah knows she is nearing the end of her life, and uses what time she has left to teach her sons that God is real, that he knows the “colored folk” even better than he knows the white folk. She also counsels her sons on where to go-admonishing them that “Ohio is free, Kentucky is not free.”

Delilah passes away en route and the story continues on with Elijah making his way to Ohio and Illinois by himself. His mother had sent his two brothers ahead to try to find work. Eventually he meets Joseph Smith himself, who befriends him and gives him aid. Elijah becomes the first man of African descent to receive the Priesthood-ordained by Joseph Smith Jr. himself. Elijah goes on to serve a mission in Pennsylvania. His trials and tribulations are far from over, though.

This is a raw story. The despicable treatment of black slaves in the south is told in vivid detail. Their trials, tribulations, temptations and triumphs are remembered and explained. But so is the courage, strength, determination and faith of the first black Mormon pioneers.

“One More River To Cross” is the first book in a trilogy of historical novels about black Mormon pioneers. Previously printed in book form, it is now available as an audio book.

This is considered to be an historical novel. I found it difficult to determine what was fiction and what was fact. Having a print copy at hand will help the listener separate fact from fiction.

This is a well written, and well narrated, story, combining the early days of the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints with the tragic story of slavery in America. The extreme prejudice, hatred, and mistreatment of blacks, contrasted with the compassion and helpfulness not only of early leaders of the Church but also the Quaker families en-route, who provided them with food, a place to sleep and direction to stay within their network of fellow Christians, makes for a spell-binding tale of love, loss, faith, redemption and forgiveness. It offers a fresh new perspective on this time period of our nation’s history.