Old Diary Leaves 4 (Revised)

Olcott tells of his association with his co-founder, Madame H.P.Blavatsky, and their work together for the cause of Theosophy. He writes of their contacts with the Mahatmas, of travels in many lands, and of the growth of The Theosophical Society from its small beginnings in New York in 1875 to an expanding international movement spread through many parts of the world. To keep intact the true flavour of the early years of the Theosophical Society, Col. Olcott’s words are presented just as he wrote them. His comments include references to occasional differences of opinion with his close and trusted colleague, H.P. Blavatsky. These very human differences perhaps will cause the reader to react with a smile of relief, knowing that great leaders such as these were also subject to human frailty and to times of disagreement. Old Diary Leaves gives a personal evaluation only, and is not intended to represent an official history of The Theosophical Society. Henry Steel Olcott was born on 2 August 1832 in Orange, New Jersey. In his early life he became distinguished in the field of agriculture, and then later for his services to the US Government during the Civil War. In 1874, when investigating spiritualistic phenomena for some New York newspapers, he met H.P. Blavatsky and together they became the principal founders of The Theosophical Society. He devoted the rest of his life to work for the Society and related causes. He died on 17 February, 1907 at Adyar, Madras ( now Chennai) , India. This book is an imprint of the Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar, and is imported from India.

About the author: Col. Henry Steel Olcott (1832-1907) was the cofounder and first President of the Theosophical Society and was among the first Westerners to become a Buddhist. A passionate reformer, he devoted his life to the renaissance of Buddhist culture in Southeast Asia. So greatly is his contribution valued in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) that February 17 is celebrated as Olcott Day. Olcott became interested in Buddhism around the same time as he began to study the esoteric traditions of the East. When he learned of British supression of Buddhism in Ceylon, he decided to go there to set things right. Arriving on the island, he immediately took refuge in the Buddha in a great public ceremony, thereby becoming officially Buddhist. Accompanied by other Theosophists, he moved slowly through the villages lecturing to many thousands in the open air, stirring them to fight for the rights of Buddhists. He spent his spare time writing a Buddhist catechism, and elementary handbook along the lines of those used in the Christian churches. The book became a bestseller, went through more than forty printings, and was translated into more than twenty languages.