Article May 16, 1903 Issue

Handling of the Serpent

J. R. H.

In Dayton (o.) Herald

THROUGHOUT the entire Scriptures the serpent is used as a symbol of all that is wrong in human consciousness, and the command has always been to handle this serpent of deception with the understanding of Truth, and finally destroy it in all its forms. When we reach that stage in our growth of experience set forth in Revelation we will not only have handled the serpent of suggestions and deceptions, but we will then be able to see that old dragon, the devil, cast out of our consciousness.

Moses was commanded to handle this serpent and did so, yet until he handled it fear ruled him and would have carried him into all forms of error.

The serpent unhandled is the fallen state of man, a state where life is believed to be in matter, and man to be mortal, subject to all the claims of sorrow, sickness, and death—a staff likened unto "a reed shaken by the wind." The serpent handled is the understanding of true wisdom, that man in the image and likeness of God is spiritual, and even now is capable of rising above this fallen belief of things.

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