Warrener, William
1750-1825; e.m. 1779
WM missionary in the West Indies, born at Strensall, N. Yorks in January 1750. He spent seven years in English circuits before offering for overseas in 1785. He was one of the three who were ordained at the Conference in 1786 and accompanied Thomas Coke across the Atlantic that autumn. Storms diverted their ship from Nova Scotia to Antigua, where Warrener began his service by taking over the Mission when John Baxter accompanied Coke on his tour of other islands. During his first year in Antigua at least a thousand were added to the membership. His Caribbean ministry was divided between Antigua and St. Kitts. After a final period of four years back in Antigua, ill health compelled him to return home in 1797. He continued to plead the cause of overseas missions during his service in home circuits until 1818. He was one of the speakers at the inaugural meeting of the Leeds District Missionary Society in October 1813, the only one to have served overseas, and went on to speak at the similar meetings that followed in the next few months. He died in Leeds on 27 November 1825.
'I told Mr. Wesley, in the year 1785, that I was at his, and the Lord's disposal to go to America or wherever I might be wanted. At the Conference held in Bristol the following year, I was appointed to go to Antigua, as an assistant to Mr. Baxter. I was informed of the place of my destination by Dr. Coke: on which I went directly to Mr. Wesley, and said, "Sir, is it your desire that I should go to Antigua?" His answer was, "It is." On which I replied, "I have nothing more to say: I go in the name of the Lord." '
- Methodist Magazine, 1814, p.51
- http://www.methodistheritage.org.uk/missionary-history-neal-william-warrener-2013.pdf