"But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear. Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the LORD of hosts." (Zech. 7:11-12)

Benjamin Franklin, who was ridiculed at one time in Paris for his defense of the Bible, was determined to find out how much of it his scoffers had read. He informed them that he had come across a story of pastoral life in ancient times that seemed to him to be very beautiful but he would like the opinion of the society. A night was arranged for Franklin to read to the assembly of so_called scholars. Franklin read the Book of Ruth, and when he had finished, the scholars were in ecstasy and begged Franklin to print it. "It is already in print," said Franklin. "It is a part of the Bible you ridicule." (From All the Women of the Bible)