The efforts of the members of this community must indeed be redoubled, nay trebled, as they view with afflicted hearts the tragic trend of events transpiring with such dramatic and sudden swiftness in Bahá’u’lláh’s native land. The tribulations suffered, over so wide a field, by so many of their co-religionists, under circumstances so appalling and harrowing in their nature, at the hands of redoubtable, pitiless, barbarous adversaries, should spur them on to still greater endeavours in a land blessed with freedom of religion and tolerance, and occupying so conspicuous a position among its sister nations. Theirs is an opportunity which they must instantly grasp. Theirs is a responsibility which they cannot escape. Theirs is the duty to offset, by the quality of their achievements, the dire losses which are now being sustained in the cradle of the Faith. That they may in every field and at all times discharge their heavy responsibilities is my constant prayer and dearest hope. Shoghi Letter of 22 August 1955 22 August 1955 Dear John, I am writing you this at the instruction of the beloved Guardian. As you will have no doubt seen by his recent cable, he has come to the historic decision to build a Temple in Africa, in Kampala. He has been in communication with Mr. Banání about this, and from reports received it appears there will be no objections. The land must be surveyed (this is being done), and design of the building submitted so as to meet health and building requirements. The Guardian wishes your Assembly to please get busy at once and have a design, or designs, made for the building; it is not necessary to try in any way to copy the Wilmette Temple: the things that are essential are the following: 1. A nine-sided building. 2. A dome, in proportion to the building. 3. A seating capacity between 300 and 500; you could count floor space at 300 or 400 and provide a balcony around the auditorium for expansion in seating capacity. 4. No “chapels” or small rooms should be added; this was a misapprehension held in the old days. As to materials your Assembly and architect can go into that, but brick or cement would be all right. Stone would seem to be out of the question. It should not be too expensive or pretentious, but dignified and worthy. There is no reason why the architect should be a Bahá’í—in fact your use of someone there would get it done faster, probably. The imperative thing is to send preliminary drawings to the Guardian within two months, if possible. The terrible situation in Persia makes him most anxious to have this project go forward speedily. He feels funds will not be too much of a problem if great costs are not involved. He sends you and all N.S.A. members his loving greetings.... Letter of 30 August 1955 30 August 1955