p. 23 | About a Few African Snakes by S. M. Konigmacher

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 9, 1913

About a Few African Snakes

By S. M. Konigmacher

SOME little time ago we were all gathered in the church for morning worship. We read from God's Holy Word and knelt down to ask his blessing for the day, and were going out to begin the work of the day, when one of my teachers spied a snake coiled under the seat where we had bowed in prayer a few moments before.

At another time, just a few days past, one of the boys while on his way to school saw a large snake over six feet in length coiled under a fruit-vine only fifteen feet from the house, where the baby goes at will. I was busy at the time, but on hearing a commotion, went out to see what it was, and the boy cried out, “Mamba!” which means cobra, a very poisonous snake. Another boy came to help, and the three of us finished him. After he was stretched out, we found it was not a cobra. The following day I killed a small snake which was swallowing a frog by the side of the path. We were out in the field gathering African holly, and Mrs. Konigmacher put out her hand to pluck a bunch of berries, as a very poisonous snake, just the color of the wood, was crawling along the branch. I killed it as it was creeping into another tree. So the Lord protects from poisonous serpents, and we thank him for his care.

S. M. KONIGMACHER.

Mantandane Mission, Nyasaland.