Equiano, Olaudah [Gustavus Vasa] (c. 1745-1797)

The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano

London

Printed and sold for the author, by T. Wilkins

1789

"It was the first soul feast I ever was present at."

Their language and singing, &c. did well harmonize; I was entirely overcome, and wished to live and die thus. Lastly, some persons in the place produced some neat baskets full of buns, which they distributed about; and each person communicated with his neighbour, and sipped water out of different mugs, which they handed about to all who were present. This kind of Christian fellowship I had never seen, nor ever thought of seeing on earth; it fully reminded me of what I had read in the holy scriptures, of the primitive Christians, who loved each other and broke bread; in partaking of it, even from house to house. This entertainment (which lasted about four hours) ended in singing and prayer. It was the first soul feast I ever was present at. This last twenty-four hours produced me things, spiritual and temporal, sleeping and waking, judgment and mercy, that I could not but admire the goodness of God, in directing the blind, blasphemous sinner in the path that he knew not of, even among the just; and instead of judgment he has shewed mercy, and will hear and answer the prayers and supplications of every returning prodigal:
O! to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrain'd to be!
(II, pp. 137-8)

Eating and Drinking::Feast

ECCO-TCP

11 entries in ESTC (1789, 1790, 1791, 1792, 1793, 1794).

See The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African. Written by Himself., 2 vols. (London: Printed and sold for the author, by T. Wilkins, 1789). <Link to Documenting the American South Edition><Link to Vol. I in ECCO-TCP><Link to Vol. II in ECCO-TCP>

08/18/2013