Stephen Gaukroger relates how Charles Bradlaugh, an outstanding intellectual of the nineteenth century, challenged a local preacher of the gospel to a debate in London. The debate was to compare the claims of Christianity with the claims of atheism. The minister, Hugh Price Hughes, agreed to the challenge on one condition: Bradlaugh would bring with him a hundred people whose lives have been changed by their commitment to atheism. If he did so, then Hughes would bring a hundred people whose lives had been changed by knowing God. To drive his point home, Hughes offered to debate with Bradlaugh if he could bring fifty people, or twenty, or ten, and finally if he could bring one man or woman whose life had been transformed by atheism. Charles Bradlaugh had to withdraw from the debate. Atheism has no moral power to change lives.

Source: Stephen Gaukroger, It Makes Sense, 2003, Gold Hill published by Scripture Union, p.9-10