salvation on sand mountain by dennis covington

After the service, Covington encounters Elvis Presley Saylor, who has been referred to as “the Wicked One” during the sermon itself. During this investigative phase, Covington runs into a man named Dewey Chafin at a snake-handling homecoming at the Church of Jesus Christ in Middlesboro, Kentucky, just a few days after Dewey’s 117th rattlesnake bite. In May, he drives to Happy, Kentucky, to meet with Gracie McAllister, an elderly member of the church in Jolo, West Virginia, and begins to collect “war stories,” or personal experiences, that snake handlers have had either from witnessing fatal rattlesnake bites or experiencing near deaths themselves. For the rest of that spring and summer, Covington leans into his role in the church and accepts himself as one of them, testifying whenever he can. Covington reflects on his own journey, saying that half the time he thinks everything about snakehandling is real and the other half he’s still not sure what he believes in. Covington attends the first annual homecoming at the Old Rock House Holiness Church near Macedonia, where he handles a snake for the first time. In the spring of 1993, Glenn’s cousins, Billy and Jimmy, start a new church on top of Sand Mountain. Since then, Covington has caught three rattlesnakes for sport as an adult long before Summerford’s trial had even begun. Covington helps Carl load his snakes into his car for the service, prompting him to recall his own history with snakes, which he began catching as a child on East Lake.

Afterward, he decides to research his own family history and discovers not only a direct line back to a Methodist circuit-riding preacher from Scottsboro on his mother’s side, but also evidence of several other Covingtons living in the area and practicing snakehandling.Ī few months later, Covington visits Brother Carl at his home in Kingston, Georgia, before attending services at his church. Some of the more rigid members of the congregation in Jolo, such as the ailing matriarch Barbara Elkins, do not approve of Covington’s participation.Ĭovington brings his family to a service at Carl Porter’s church, the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, during which his daughter appears to be very enthusiastic about the services and Covington has his feet ritually washed. For the first time, he entertains the reality of the Holy Ghost. Up in Jolo, the desire to testify seizes Covington. A testament to their newfound trust in Covington, Brother Carl invites Covington and his photographers to attend their 20th annual homecoming in Jolo, West Virginia, over Labor Day weekend. Covington begins to participate actively in the services himself, rather than as a journalist and observer, and earns the name Brother Dennis. Dyal, and Charles McGlocklin would be preaching under a brush arbor. After the church in Scottsboro shuts down, Covington is invited to attend services on Sand Mountain where three snake-handling preachers named Carl Porter, J.L.

Salvation on sand mountain by dennis covington