The Subtle Serpent

“Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.”    Gen. 3:1 Of all animals it seems as if the serpent is the most feared and loathsome.  Why, do you suppose?  Certainly, not because it is a disease carrier as the rat; nor because it is vicious (for only one species is known to actually pursue man—the others will fight only in self-defense).  Possibly, we fear them because of the prevalent idea that snakes are poisonous; whereas in reality, only a very...