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Friday, August 5, 2022
Charles Blondin (1824-1897)
My interest in Charles Blondin (1824–1897) was piqued when I heard this story about him that took place in the summer of 1859. Dressed in pink tights and spangles that gloriously reflected the light, he set off across a high two-inch-wide (5 cm) rope that was stretched 1,300 feet (396 m) across Niagara Falls. After braving the 78 mph (125 kmh) gusts of wind and pushing a wheelbarrow, he reached the other side. Blondin took a bow and called out to the cheering audience of 25,000 people that had gathered from all over the country to watch him:
“Do you believe I could carry a person across in this wheelbarrow?”
The crowd answered, “Yes! Of course! You are the greatest tightrope walker in the world!”
“OK, who would like to get in the wheelbarrow and cross with me?”
The silence was palpable even above the roar of the mighty falls. Everyone believed Blondin could do it, but no one wanted to take the chance. The consequences of failure were certain death. These spectators had an intellectual faith in Blondin’s skill, but it was a different matter to get in the wheelbarrow and entrust their lives to his care.
They were like some who believe in God but don’t trust Him with their lives. Getting in the wheelbarrow was like putting faith into action.
Of course, analogies like this are limited. They are not meant to be taken literally. I don’t think I would get in that wheelbarrow either, because Blondin was imperfect, whereas God is perfect. God promises us that He won’t “drop” or forsake us.
Nevertheless, anecdotes like these can be helpful to make abstract principles a bit easier to grasp.
A footnote to this story is that there was one person who took up the dare—his manager, Harry Colcord—who knew him well, and had seen him cross many times before and remarked, “He can walk the rope as a bird soars in the air.”
Like Jesus’ disciples who saw Him multiply the bread and fish, turn water into wine, heal the diseased and maimed, and even walk on stormy water, the disciples eventually fully trusted their lives to Christ after overcoming their doubts and fears and coming to understand that He was the promised Messiah who conquered death and rose from the grave.
On August 14, 1859, Harry got on Blondin’s back. But before they set out, Blondin gave him a word of caution: “Look up, Harry. … You are no longer Colcord, you are Blondin. Until I clear this place, be a part of me, mind, body, and soul. If I sway, sway with me. Do not attempt to do any balancing yourself. If you do, we will both go to our death.” Despite a few of the safety guy ropes snapping on the way, they made it safely across to everyone’s relief.
Blondin’s advice to Harry is sound counsel for us as well, which is to stay close to the Lord and follow His lead as He carries us through difficult times.
Being a curious kind of guy, I like to know what’s under the tip of the visible iceberg. What goes into the making of a man like Blondin, and what can I learn from him to help me on my way? I guess one of the joys of heaven will be to sit down on a park bench and get the whole scoop from folks like Jonah. “So, what was it like inside the fish for three days? And by the way, what kind of fish was that? And why did you run the other way?” Hearing all those stories should keep us enthralled for eternity. The lives of those who have gone on before us are part of our heritage and are examples that we can learn from.
After Blondin saw an acrobat perform, when he was just four years old, he knew that was his calling. He later said, “Tightrope walkers like poets are born, not made.” The little lad tried to walk across a rope that he rigged between two chairs. He often fell but he didn’t give up. He was helped by a sailor who brought him a thick boat rope used for docking. His parents, seeing his talent and desire to be a performer, helped him by enrolling him in a school that focused on sport training, the École de Gymnase in Lyon, France.
Encouraging our kids and helping them to shine to develop their talents is a big part of being a parent.
Being a funambulist—or rope dancer, as a tightrope walker was called—took a lot of courage and daring. But Blondin’s courage was not limited to his performances. One time on a voyage, a young man fell in the water and Blondin dove in after him, braving the high waves to rescue him.
We too need to be ready at any time to take advantage of the opportunities the Lord sets up for us to do His work, to “be prepared in season and out of season.” - “Be prepared” is the motto of the Boy Scouts and something that Jesus encourages us to do as well in His parable of the watchman who is always ready and on duty.
Like many great feats, it started with a dream; his was to be the first to cross Niagara Falls on a rope. He is still remembered today for his daring feats on the rope, such as walking with a sack over his head, walking backwards, on stilts, cooking a meal, cycling, doing somersaults, and much more! One reporter said, “One can scarcely believe that the feat was indeed real. I stood gazing upon the slender cord and the awful gulf in a state of utter bewilderment. … I look back upon it as upon a dream.”
In his life Blondin crossed Niagara Falls 300 times and walked the equivalent of 10,000 miles (16,093 km) on ropes all over the world. He died at the age of 72 from diabetes.
Of course, risking our lives for a thrill is not something we would want to emulate, but hopefully we can say at the end of our days that we fulfilled God’s purpose for us and were faithful to our calling.
Wednesday, August 3, 2022
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