And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. Mark 16:17–18 Those verses are the cornerstone of the religious practice commonly known as snake handling that has long been a source of fascination and mystery like few topics in Appalachian history. Discussions about religion are always a potential landmine for needlessly upsetting and offending people of different beliefs; however, I feel the need to address it at this point due to the misconceptions that exist. As it specifically pertains to the practice of snake handling, never before has a ritual that is practiced by so few come to be associated with so many. One of the first questions I often get asked when someone learns of my Appalachian heritage is invariably some version of, do you guys really handle snakes? The persistent belief that snake handling is a common practice in Appalachia is a myth that I will attempt to clarify. The specific origin of snake handling is cloudy as there have been individual instances of people using snakes in religious demonstrations off and on throughout history. They justify the use of snakes by taking a literal interpretation of the scriptures found in the Gospel of Mark 16:17-18 for inspiration. The true meaning of these verses have long been debated as many say that they refer to the actions of the Apostles immediately following the resurrection of Jesus and not meant to apply to all believers. Other Biblical scholars believe that verses 9-20 of the Gospel of Mark werent part of the original manuscripts of the Bible hence they arent applicable. The spread in popularity of snake handling into Appalachia is most often credited to a charismatic evangelist named George Went Hensley. Hensley underwent a religious experience in his late 20s during which he began to ponder his personal level of righteousness. He locked in on the verses in Mark 16 based on an experience early in his life that left a strong impression on him where he witnessed a lady handle a snake in a church service at a coal camp in Virginia. Hensley further claimed that he asked for a sign from God while walking up a mountain when he came upon a rattlesnake and fell on his knees before it in prayer. He then scooped up the rattlesnake and placed it in a gunnysack to take back to show his congregation. He brought the snake to his next service where he took it out of the sack, handled it himself unharmed and then challenged the congregation to do likewise as a show of faith. Hensley then began to introduce this snake handling practice as a regular part of his sermons as an ordained minister in the Church of God denomination. Hensley conducted revivals throughout Tennessee and, later, spreading to the Carolinas, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Virginia drawing crowds primarily made up of the families of farmers and coal miners. Soon Hensleys meetings began to draw large crowds for the spectacle as much as the message. He inspired other disciples of his ministerial style such as Raymond Hayes who is often credited with the spread of snake handling into West Virginia. George Hensleys popularity and influence was at its peak in 1922 when he opted to resign from his Church of God ministerial position due to trouble in the home. Hensley went on to be arrested in 1923 for moonshining activity but would later escape by fleeing from the chain gang detail to which hed been assigned. He hid out near his sisters farm in Ooltewah, TN, before moving to Ohio where he soon resumed his ministry. He then moved to Pineville, KY, and built a new church where he once again built a following based largely on his snake handling practice. Hensley was never able to fully recapture his earlier popularity due to greater awareness of his checkered past of the moonshine arrest and the fact hed been married four times (divorce is frowned upon by the church.) Hensley spent the remainder of his life preaching and spreading his concept of the Bible. He was conducting an extended revival inside an abandoned blacksmith shop in Altha, Florida, where he gave what would prove to be his last sermon. Hensley was preaching and moving about the crowd with a venomous snake wrapped around his neck as had become his custom. He went to put the snake back into its container when suddenly it bit him on the wrist. Hensley quickly became ill - experiencing excruciating pain and vomiting up blood. Despite pleas to get treatment from the congregation, Hensley defiantly refused instead imploring the crowd to pray and telling them that their lack of faith was what had caused his suffering. Hensley would not recover and was pronounced dead the following morning on July 25, 1955, with the official cause of death being ruled suicide. The practice of snake handling would live on past the death of George Hensley to this day. It has been speculated that there are still as many as 125 churches and up to 5,000 practitioners of snake handling. Others have guesstimated there are as few as 40 churches and 500 practitioners of snake handling. As a person who extensively travels the area, I personally am suspicious that even those numbers are too high. The actual number is impossible to verify as most of the churches operate illegally in violation of state statutes outlawing the use of snakes in such ceremonies (snake handling is only legal in West Virginia.) Additionally, most of these sermons are conducted in residential homes or makeshift abandoned buildings making them even more difficult to track. Another less discussed practice specific to most snake handling churches is their belief that they can drink poison with no ill effects and touch fire without getting burned. The posion of choice is often strychnine although they will also use battery acid or carbolic acid as well which they drink down like some would take a shot of liquor. They will also use a candle or fill the top of a bottle with a rag which they light and hold against their skin while praying, singing and dancing without getting burned. The churches maintain that members arent forced to participate in any of the practices. Church members are taught to abstain from them unless they are in the Spirit. Being in the Spirit is defined as being inspired by the Spirit of God to do these actions that would be deadly without His help. Snake handling churches are loosely affiliated with the Pentecostal faith as they incorporate some of the same practices such as speaking in tongues and laying hands on the sick. Most Pentecostals distance themselves from the snake handling sect as they reject the handling of snakes, drinking of poison and use of fire as as accepted practices. Some people from outside the Appalachian region mistakenly lump the two faiths together which can create the misconception of a larger contingent of snake handling practitioners. Snake handling churches are certainly on the decline and there is a great possibility that they will become extinct as they become another victim of progress. Whether you condone the practice or are ashamed to be associated with it, snake handling is unquestionably a part of our Appalachian culture. I personally tend to see snake handling in a similar light as voodoo in New Orleans - it is something that adds character and mystery to our culture to make it interesting. I will leave it at this, if you see me reaching into a snake pit anytime soon it will have to be the result of divine intervention... - Shane.
Posted on: Sat, 17 Jan 2015 02:15:47 +0000
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