and lift it to their mouth in their palm. states, " The Arabs, in eating, do not whole hand into the dish, but only their thumb and two first fnigers, with which they take up tlie mor- sel, and that in a moderate quantity at a time." The present mode of eating in Syria and Palestine is thus desciibed l)v Dr. Jowett: "To witness the dailv fam-
EATING
EBAL
a meal nothing more than pillov, i. e. boiled rice, a I "?/-^o did eat of my bread, even he hath lifted up his very large wooden dish is Itrought on full, and around | heel against me !" Hence, in part, no doubt, the con-
this one party after another set themselves till the dish is emptied, or they are satisfied. In Merdin, where I once ate with sixteen officers of the Waiwode, a ser- vant placed himself between the guests, and had noth- ing to do but to take away the eniptj' dishes, and set down the full ones which other servants brought in. As soon as ever the dish was set down, all the sixteen hands were immediately thrust into it, and that to so much purpose, that rarelj' could any one help himself three times. They eat, in the JCast, with very great rapidity ; and at this meal in Merdin, in the time of about twent}' minutes, we sent out more than fourteen emptj' dishes." See Dine.
viviality that alwaj's followed the making of a cove- nant. Hence, also, the severity of some of the feel- ings acknowledged by the indignant man of patience. Job, as appears in several passages of his pathetic ex- postulations. It is well known that Arabs, who have given food to a stranger, have afterwards thought themselves bound to protect him against the ven- geance, demanded by consanguinity, for even blood it- self. (See Layard's Nineveh, 2d series, p. 217.) See Hospitality.
To "eat" is frequently spoken metaphorically in Scripture of the enjoyment or partaking of temporal or spiritual blessings (Jer. xv, 10; Ezek. iii, 1; Rev. x,
9). "W^emyss's Synibol. Diet.
s. V. Comp. Drink ; Taste.
Eaton, John, -was born at Kant in 1575, and studied at Oxford. In 1G25 he was made rector of Wickham- INIarket, Suffolk, where he died in 1G41. His writings are Antinomian. They are, The Discovery of a most dan- gerous dead Faith (Lond. IG-)], 12mo) : — The Honeycomb of free Justifcation (Lond. 1C4-^, 4to). He was imprisoned for this last work by the Long Parliament. — "Wood, A ihenice Oxonlenses ; Hook, L'ccl. Btog. iv, 52G.
Eaton, Samuel, a Con- gregational minister, was a native of England, and took his degrees at Magdalen Col- lege, Cambridge. He entered into the ministry of the Es- The Hebrews, like the modern Orientals, rose early, tablishcd Church, but, on account of his Puritanism, about the dawn of the day, when they breakfasted, came to New England with the IJev. John Davenport They were accustomed to take a slight repast about in 1G37, and w-as co-pastor with him at New Haven, noon ; and this to husbandmen and mechanics was i He returned to England in Ki-lO, and fomied a Con- probably the principal meal (1 Kings xx, 16; Euth ii, j gregational church at Duckenlield, Cheshire. Hy the 14; Luke xiv, 12). AA'ilkinson says, "That dinner ' Act of Uniformity he was compelled to cease preach- ■was served up at midday among the ancient Egyp- ing in 1CG2, and died June 9, 1G65. He published A tians may be inferred from the invitation given bj' Defence of sundry Positions and Scri})tu?-es alleged to Joseph to his brethren : ' Bring these men home, and justify the Congregational Way (1645 ; second part, slay and make ready, for these men shall dine with me 1G46) -. — The Mystery of God incarnate, or the Word at noon' (Gen. xliii, IG) ; but it is probable that, like made Flesh cleared up, etc. (1650): — Vindication, or the li'omans, thej' also ate supper in the evening, as is further Confirmation of the /Scriptures, produced to still tlie custom in the East." Supper ajipears to have prove the Divinity of Jesus Christ, distorted and misera- been the princijial meal among the Hebrews, as it was bly ivrested and abused by Mr. John Knoirles, etc. (1651) : among the Greeks and Romans. Among the Romans — Tr-eatise of the Oath of Allegiance and Covenant, show- it anciently took place about three o'clock ; but in the ing that they oblige not (replied to 1G50) : — The QuiJ:ers East, as at the present day in Persia, aliout six or seven ; Corfuted, etc. (1659). — Sprague, Annals, i, 98. in tlie evening, in order to avoid the enfeebling heat \ jj^^^j ^jj^,^_ y^^j^,^-^ i^^^r, stone), the nai..e of one
Modem Unental Paity at Dinuer.
of the afternoon (JIark vi, 21 ; Luke xiv, 16, 24; John xii, 2). In 1 Sam. ix, 13, we read that the people Tvould not eat of the feast until Samuel had arrived and consecrated the sacritice. But this circumstance aflbrds no evidence of the custom of asking a blessing on food. In the time of Christ, however, it was com- mon before every meal to give thanks (Matt, xiv, 19 ; XV, 36). See INIeai.-time.
or two persons, and also of a hill.