43 THE SNAKE-BITE. Nor long ago those who read the newspapers were horrified with an account of the sudden death of a gentleman in a foreign country, from the bite of a snake. It seems that this venomous beast had been sent as a present to this person from a brother-in-law a long way off. At the time he was bitten, the owner of the snake was standing in the barroom of one of the hotels, with some of his friends. He had taken the snake out of its box and laid it on the floor, in order to exhibit more plainly its beautiful spots. After they had all admired it, the owner stooped to push it back again in its cage, and in doing so, the snake threw back its head with its jaws wide open, and stung him on one of his fingers with its long fangs. As soon as the gentleman felt himself bitten, being himself a physician, he knew that there was no time to be lost, and that his danger was great. He, therefore, at once had a great piece of his finger cut out, all around the bite. He had this done in the hope that with the piece of flesh and blood that flowed from the wound, the poison might come away too. But it seems that what was done had no effect. The poison had gotten into his blood, and in much agony he died. And as he lay upon his bed, I am told, he could feel death creeping on him, until he felt the poison to get near his heart, when he soon ceased to breathe. This was one of the most dreadful events that we have heard of for a great while. And now, my dear reader-whether you be a little boy or girl-what would you think if I were to say that you were serpent-bitten too-that you had a bite, of which, unless you are cured, you will die; and that there is only one Physician can cure you? Now, when I tell you ་་ that you are serpent-bitten, do not start and look around you as if there were a live serpent at your feet, for the snake that has bitten you cannot be seen. He is invisible; he is the great Serpent— the flying and fiery Dragon—old in cunning and in hatred. The Devil is the serpent that has infused his poison into the human soul. For the bite is not a bite of the body. It is worse than this, it is a bite of the soul of man; and just as the poison from the tooth of the rattlesnake soon spreads through the whole body, and is felt in every vein, so also the poison of Satan is felt through the whole soul. For there is not a power nor a faculty but which is contaminated by this taint of hell. It is found in the power to think, for our thoughts are evil. It is found in our desires, therefore we covet and long for what God has not given us; and this it is which accounts for there being thieves and cheats in the world. It is in our affections too; and this it is which makes men murderers; for they, like their father the Devil, learn to hate one another. Yes, my dear readers, the poison of Satan's fangs is all through the soul. And as you grow older, unless you become cured, you will find it to give you more and more trouble and pain. For it seems to make some men mad in committing sin, as if they were in a dream, or delirious from some dreadful fever. But again, we said, that unless you are cured from this bite, you will surely die. When the doctor that we have spoken of was bitten, they tried a great many things to cure him. They first cut out the piece of flesh that was bitten; they then burnt the place with caustic: but it did no good, the poison was all through him, and he was carried home and laid upon his bed, only to await the slow but sure approach of death. And we are told, that as he lay there, every moment feeling death coming nearer and nearer, that he shuddered, and said, "Oh, how dreadful it is to feel death creep up slowly to the vitals! Now my hands and arms are cold, and soon my heart will cease to beat, for I feel that the poison is there already." This was a dreadful scene. It was dreadful to see a strong man brought down by so little a thing to the dark grave; and yet, my children, the poison in your soul will most surely end in its death. It will be more awful than the death of the body-for the body of man will once again be made beautiful, because God will raise it from the grave! But when the soul dies a second death, there will be no resurrection for it. Its grave will be the grave of hell, and angels will be the mourners at its funeral, and devils will bury it. You may think that sin is a little matter. Too little, perhaps you say, to kill the immortal soul; so |