An Incident in the life of Eld. I. N. Walter.
In august 1828, he, in company with a number of other ministers, attended a camp meeting near Sunsbury, Ohio, at which an incident occurred showing his address and tact in meeting emergencies, as well as his reliance upon Divine aid and the superiority of the moral power over the animal or physical. The meeting had progressed, with some, good indications, up to Saturday evening. There were, however, occasional slight interruptions, from those called, in common parlance, rowdies. They finally resolved that on that evening they would break up the meeting; accordingly they came into the "camp-ground" and up to the stand in a solid phalanx, and commenced throwing clubs and other missiles into the congregation and at the ministers in the pulpit. Several of the congregation and one or two of the ministers were struck and slightly injured. Eld. Joseph Thomas, known as the "White Pilgrim," was preaching, but so violent was the attack, that it was thought best to close the meeting, for that night at least. This left the ground in the hands of the rabble; and they immediately commenced their mock religious services, by singing and speaking. After having given vent to their coarse blasphemy, in mock worship and ribaldry for some time, one of their number proposed prayers. This was readily assented to; and a voice said: "Let us pray," and in an instant the words of solemn earnestness came full and distinct upon their ears.—They could not be mistaken; that was not the voice of mockery. The stillness of the grave seemed to settle down upon the crowd, that a moment before were mocking heaven, as the sentences of holy, fervent prayer came from the suppliant. Deeper and more pathetic the voice and words became, until they arose clear and full upon the breath of night, and ascended towards heaven. All were wrapped in the earnest, melodious voice of the pleader, as it increased in volume, until the encampment and the ancient woods around were filled with its force. No other words were spoken. The voice, the prayer, the earnest pleadings, the holy sentiments, gushing from a warm soul of Christ-like love, all, poured out before the God of eternity, were resistless. The moral and spiritual force of one man under God, triumphed over the physical, the mere brute force, of the many. The victory was complete. The mob quietly dispersed, and interrupted the worship of the people no more during that meeting. The man who did this was Eld. Walter, then only twenty-three years of age. He had left the stand with the other ministers, when the attack was made by the mob, and had, unobserved—as the rabble had extinguished nearly all the lights—made his way into the very midst, waiting only an opportunity to prove the superiority of mental and spiritual force over the physical and wicked; and one soon offered; he seized it with a firm heart, fully believing it must subdue and conquer in the end.”—Memoir, page 69.