Zenesta Hao--Within certain limits the government of Ento is absolute, and the Supreme Rulers never exercise a power exceeding these limits. Neither do they permit any infringement of the laws, which are simple, direct, forceful and just. In the Supreme Ruler is vested the privilege of appointing such Counsellors and other officials as may be necessary for the proper administration of laws enacted for the general welfare, and being the representative of such laws, it is his or her bounden duty to see to it that they shall be strictly observed. By the Entoans it is considered no more a duty than a privilege to be of one mind in their obedience to both civil and religious enactments. Nominally, ever since the establishment of the national religion, the Supreme Rulers have been its chief representatives, but through the following centuries, gradually, an ever arrogant Priesthood assumed claims to certain prerogatives, which grew into such oppressive abuses that eventually the people, unable to longer endure, rebelled, and the priesthood were obliged to abolish the horrible rite of human sacrifice. Yes, this occurred during a rather recent century. Since then the Entoans have grown, or rather they have outgrown the rigidity of old beliefs, still they have but one religion. If at times certain restless minds have dared to question the statements of the Sacred Writings, or impiously have indulged in new and vain theories they have been silenced. Ever Ento's Supreme Rulers have set an example of entire obedience to the Priestly interpretation of the Sacred Writings, and as they have believed so have the people believed. Should Omanos Fûnh[a:], Ento's present chief representative, arrive at a belief in a continuity of existence, generally, the Priesthood will oppose such a radical innovation, but with the tide in the minds and hearts of the people setting in that direction, they will be obliged to yield, indeed many of them will gladly yield, for Priests, like other people, love and sorrow. Gentola--But how will so great a change of religious belief be received by the less enlightened peoples? May it not occasion strife, or even war? Zenesta Hao--Oh, no. That is not possible. Ento's peoples are too highly evolved to indulge in violent recrimination, which inevitably must result in harm to all concerned. War is purely barbaric, and on Ento there are no really barbaric peoples. There are those who are somewhat primitive in their ideas and modes of living, but they are far too civilized to think of murdering their neighbors. Largely, such peoples are engaged in agricultural pursuits, and not being constantly in touch with the finest expressions of civilization, they, to a degree, lack its nicest distinctions of speech, manner, dress and so on, but innately they are just, truthful, generous and humane peoples, possessing the essential principles of true civilization.