Colonel Henry Steel Olcott [1832-1907] was the first western Buddhist convert, probably since antiquity. He co-founded the Theosophical Society and was its first president. The only contributor to the 19th century southern Buddhist revival who was born a Protestant, Olcott was able to promote Eastern ideas to western society.
The Buddhist Catechism was Olcott's attempt to elucidate the basic doctrines of Buddhism in an ecumenical way. This book is still in use today in Sri Lanka. Olcott is fondly remembered in Sri Lanka and by Theosophists world-wide.
