Note 120 — FIRST VISIT TO AMERICA.

It is a well-known fact, that, in early life, Wesley publicly maintained that, in matters of importance, when the reasons on each side appeared to be of equal weight, it was right to decide the question by casting lots. (See Wesley's "Principles of a Methodist further explained," 1746.) Strangely enough, this was the method he adopted to ascertain whether Whitefield ought to abandon his mission to Georgia. In his letter to Wesley, in 1740, during their Calvinistic quarrel, Whitefield wrote: "The morning I sailed from Deal for Gibraltar, you arrived from Georgia. Instead of giving me an opportunity to converse with you, though the ship was not far from shore, you drew a lot, and immediately set forwards to London. You left a letter behind you, in which were words to this effect: 'When I saw God, by the wind which was carrying you out, brought me in, I asked counsel of God. His answer you have enclosed.' This was a piece of paper, in which were written these words: 'Let him return to London.' Whitefield adds, he would 'never have published this private transaction to the world,' if Wesley had not again used the lot to determine whether he should 'preach and print' his memorable sermon on 'Free Grace.'" (Whitefield's Works, vol. iv., p. 56.) It would not be honest to omit this curious fact; but this is not the place to discuss its propriety. Sortilege was one of the things which Wesley learned from the devout Moravians.