William Butler (missionary)

Rev.
William Butler
D. D.
Personal
BornJanuary 30, 1818
Dublin, Ireland
DiedAugust 18, 1899 (aged 81)
ReligionMethodist Episcopal Church
Spouse
(m. 1854)
Children4, including Clementina Butler (daughter), Dr. John Wesley Butler (son)
Professionmissionary
Organization
Founder of
  • Methodist Episcopal Mission in India
  • Methodist Episcopal Mission in Mexico
Senior posting
Ordination1848
Professionmissionary

Rev. William Butler, D.D. (January 30, 1818 – August 18, 1899) was an Irish-born U.S. Methodist Episcopal pioneer missionary. He was the founder of the Methodist Episcopal Mission in India, and afterward founder of the Mission in Mexico.

Born in Ireland in 1818, he was converted to the Methodist movement in 1837, and in 1839, he began to preach. Ordained in 1848, he came to the U.S. in 1850, and for several years, preached in Massachusetts. From 1856 to 1866, he was in India, before returning to Massachusetts. From 1873 to 1879, he was in Mexico. He subsequently wrote books on missions in India and Mexico, which were used as standard works in his time.[1] As a preacher Butler was evangelical, evangelistic, and eloquent. He was rugged and aggressive, but he would not indulge, nor permit his preachers to indulge, in controversy. His was a positive message.[2]

  1. ^ "Obituary Notes". The Missionary Review of the World. 22. Funk & Wagnalls: 880. November 1899. Retrieved 18 May 2022. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Minutes-1899 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).