http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/year/november.htm has a lot of information on the custom of 'souling" under its entry for November 2nd {All Soul's Day}.

Here's an excerpt from that entry:

"Before the Reformation, it was customary for poor Christains to offer prayers for the dead in return for money or food {soul cakes} from their wealthier neighbors.

"During the 19 abd [sic] 20th century, children would go "souling"-rather like carol singing-requesting alms and soul cakes

A soul, a soul, a soul cake
Please good missus a soul cake
An apple, a pear, a plum or a cherry
Any good thing to make us merry
Up with your kettles and down with your pans
Give us an answer and we'll be gone
Little Jack, Jack sat on his gate
Crying for butter, to butter his cake
One for St. Peter, and two for St. Paul
Three for the man who made us all.

The 'soulers' would go around the houses singing this song and often joined by their old friend the hobby horse- only atthis time of year he is called the Hooden Horse.

-snip-

I can understand the writer's reference to 'souling' being similar to caroling. However, imo, a closer comparison could have been made to the the Halloween custom "trick or treat".

Unfortunately, in some urban neighborhoods the custom of going door to door trick or treating is dying out because of safety issues. Dressing up in customs for Halloween and going trick or treating is also opposed by some Christains for religious reasons. Some public schools, for instance, have "Harvest Day" or some such innocuous substitution on Oct 31st instead of Halloween. In the USA, November 2nd is not noted as a special day at all by non-Catholics.