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.