William Butler

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. 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.

Until the age of 20, he was connected with the Established Church of Ireland. His conversion and his connection with the Methodist movement were brought about by a woman, who herself had come into a conscious religious experience under the influence of the Methodists. This stranger asked Butler, "Do you pray?". The thoughtfulness induced by this question led to his conversion, and dedication to the Christian ministry, After three years of theological study, he joined the Irish Wesleyan Conference and was ordained in 1848. Since his first ministerial efforts, Butler read the Christian Advocate and such books on American Methodism as he was able to secure. Early in 1850, he resolved to remove to the U.S. and to identify himself with the Methodist Episcopal Church. (According to the Boston Globe (13 Sep 1913), the wedding occurred November 23, 1855.)

Selected works Compendium of Missions, 1852 The Land of the Veda, 1871 From Boston to Bareilly and back, 1885 Mexico in transition from the power of political romanism to civil and religious liberty, 1893