Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-04-22
Ne Atheist. Exist r

To The. Editors Of the N. Y Sunday Times:
Without being in any one respect what the
world would term religious man, must
confess the shock received the other day, in lis
tening to conversation while riding up in
Fourth avenue car, and which recount for the
benefit of your readers, had more moral eff
feet upon my mind than would q constaRta tten-
ton to all the TeUiUGls in the world.
Seated on my left was grave-looklng elder
| ly person, conversing with a well-dreSsed young
man of very intellectual and prepossessing ap-
pearance. After asking the latter, with whom
he seemed to have had previous acquaintance,
what his position and worldly prospects WERE
and receiving in reply that he was at present
attached to one of our leading evening journals
as shorthand writer the subject of the relig-
ious revivals was brought forward.
james, " said he, Il should like to see you at
our daily prayer-meetingS in John street Will
you attend there tomorrow"
'Why, to tell you the truth, Sill" said the
young man, 81 atm opposed to all these religious
meetings-st opposed to them. L think
they do moro harm than good, and unfit many
| from their business qualifications who are en-
tirely dependent on their daily exertions for ex-
| istence."
~ think could convince you otherwise"
said the elder, but this is no place for argu-
ment, let me call upon you this evening at your
residence, taking out his memorandum book
and pencil,) Where is it you reside?"
/ "Well, Mr.. s." said the young man, 81
might Just as well close our conversation on this
unpleasant topic by coming to point at once.
In the first place, you know | was brought up
and educatedin very liberal school, las regards
| religion,) at Mr. IS, in Twenty third street,
and I neDer hace, nor do moo, 5slieUe an the
existence Of God. or q 6eUil. Sometimes /
think hare a soul and SoiU be born again, and
sometimes otherlcisek Under this belief, / ma
turally see no necessity of your having my adj
dress, nor is there any possibility of your being
able to convert me-" tGaE1
How do you think the elderly gentleman res
ponded? By starting suddenly to his feet,
pulling the bel-strap, and making hasty exit
| from the car.
For the first time in my life had met an
avowcd atheist, and that in the form of an in
tellectual young man, scarce twenty years Of
| age. The question then rose within me, was
his elderly friend right in thus abruptly giving
up the idea of his conversion9 contend yes,
| for IN my opinion the only effectual mode of
converting young atheist is to leave him to the
gloomy and sad reflections attendant upon old
age.
notwithstanding all arguments to the contra
Try, am still unconvinced that atheism exists
with old age, or that there is any individual in
the wide world, who, IN TRUTH, doubts the exis-
tence of his Creator, whether worshipped in
Christian, Pagan, or Mahommedan form.
| Many your readers may recollect certain
DR.. Carver, veterinary surgeon and ardent
follower of Tom Paine, who, after being redu-
ced from aft1uent wealth to to AFFECT poverty,
wrote a letter to the late NJ. NJ. Noah, setting
forth his condition, and asking 'if there would
be any harm in his committing suicide" in or
der to save himself from starvation
Now, had that man, been sincere in his avow-
al as an atheist and his disbelief of an hereafter
why should he have asked the question, "Vns
there any harm" in committing crime for
which he could be answerable only hereafterg
| Yours, truly, r. P. n.