Edward Whymper, a famous Alpine climber, had for many years been ambitious to be the first to scale the Matterhorn. Many times he had reached the great shoulder on the Italian side, but he had never reached the top. In July, 1865, he was prepared for another try, the more eagerly because a party of Italians were to attempt it also on the same morning.
His party consisted of four climbers, with three guides. They were Edward Whymper himself, Mr. Hadrow, Charles Hudson (an English clergyman) and a young climber, Lord Francis Douglas. The guides were two brothers, named Tangwalder, and a famous guide, Michael Croz. All went well. The top was reached, and for the first time man stood on the peak enjoying the wonderful view and—as Whymper described it—“one crowded hour of glorious life!”
Then they roped themselves together again to descend in the following order: Michael Croz, the guide, first; Mr. Hadrow next; then Charles Hudson and Lord Francis Douglas; the senior Tangwalder in front of Whymper and the younger Tangwalder in the rear. Carefully they began letting themselves down the precipice. Michael Croz, out of sight of the rear members, was helping Hadrow to find a footing over the yawning abyss, when a startled cry rang out. Hadrow had slipped and fell onto Croz, hurling him off his slender foothold. Hudson and Lord Douglas were dragged after them, but the experienced climbers above tightened the rope between them and stood firm to bear the shock.
The rope ran its length and the blow came, but the cord snapped like a thread! The horrified climbers above saw their friends spreading their arms and legs in a hopeless attempt to stop their slide over the precipice. They fell 4000 feet to the great glacier below!
For nearly an hour the remaining three stood in horrified silence—paralyzed. The guides began to weep, saying they could never attempt that fearful descent. Whymper, however, nerved them to the effort, and hours later they arrived in Zermatt to tell their sad story.
The broken rope was examined. Why had it not held? Ah! It was only sash-cord! It now lies in the little museum at Zermatt, where I recently looked at it with great interest. Alpine Club ropes are distinguished by a red strand running through them. How was it that an inferior cord was carried on such an occasion? It remains an unexplained mystery.
It has often been said that the truth as to the precious blood of Christ runs like a RED CORD through the Bible.
Certainly the Word of God plainly says that there is no salvation for sinners except through the blood of Jesus. It is written, “Without shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:2222And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. (Hebrews 9:22)), and if sin is not remitted or put away and we die in our sins, we are certainly LOST. We must fall into the abyss—the blackness of darkness—the bottomless pit.
Are you joined to the Lord by this unbreakable cord? Or have you some other cord to which you cling? Every other cord will break when the mighty strain comes. Do not trust in your own goodness while the heart is unchanged, or to the good opinion of others. None of this will work. It must be genuine repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus who died for us and whose blood cleanses from all sin. “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:77The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. (John 1:7)).
If we are joined to Him, nothing can separate us nor break the threefold cord of grace and blood and faith that binds us to Him. “They shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand” (John 10:2828And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:28)) is what He says of those who have put their trust in Him. They are safe—safe for time and for eternity.