Besant had found the economic side of life lacking a spiritual dimension, so she searched for a belief based on “Love”. She found this in Theosophy, so she joined the Theosophical Society, a move that distanced her from Bradlaugh and other former activist co-workers. Her decision to join the Theosophical Society met a storm of criticism from her former associates in London. To explain her change of view, on August 4 and 11, 1889, she delivered a lecture in the Hall of Science on the subject “Why I Became a Theosophist.” On September 4 of that year, in HPB’s house, she met H. S. Olcott, co-founder of the Theosophical Society and international President. He immediately recognized her value. He wrote in Old Diary Leaves: “At the time of my [first] visit I had the chance to see of what infinite tenderness and unselfish compassion Mrs. Besant was capable,” and, “She is the most important gain to us since Sinnett.”