Speak Gently

Representative Text

1 Speak gently; it is better far
To rule by love than fear;
Speak gently: let no harsh word mar
The good we may do here.

2 Speak gently to the little child:
Its love be sure to gain;
Teach it in accents soft and mild;
It may not long remain.


Source: International Song Service: with Bright Gems from fifty authors, for Sunday-schools, gospel meetings, missionary and young people's societies, prayer-meetings, etc. #218

Author: G. W. Hangford

19th Century We have little data on Hangford, except that he once held a position in India, and died between 1847 & 1867. Presumably he was British; his only known hymn was published in the London Magazine in 1848. --www.hymntime.com/tch/ Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Speak gently, it is better far
Title: Speak Gently
Author: G. W. Hangford
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Notes

Speak gently; it is better far. [Gentleness.] Usually attributed to George Washington Hangford, and dated 1847. In Sharpe's London Magazine, Feb. 1848.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)

Tune

SAWLEY (Walch)

This tune was composed by James Walch in 1857 for a children's anniversary, and was published in 1860 with other tunes for private circulation. It was wrongly assigned, in the early editions of [The Free Church Hymnal, 1888] to the Rev. F. Pigou. Scottish church music: its sources and composers, 189…

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Timeline

Instances

Instances (1 - 100 of 124)
Text

A Book of Hymns for Public and Private Devotion (15th ed.) #285

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A Book of Hymns for Public and Private Devotion. (10th ed.) #285

A Collection of Millennial Hymns, Adapted to the Present Order of the Church #d112

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A Collection of Spiritual Hymns #837

A Junior Hymnal with Song Stories and Worship Programs #d84

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Chapel Treasures (Christ Chapel Sabbath-School, Lebanon, PA) #178

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Children's Praise #42

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Christian Science Hymnal #a60

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Christian Science Hymnal #aa60

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Christian Science Hymnal #60

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Christian Science Hymnal #213

Christian Science Hymnal (Rev. and enl.) #315

Christian Science Hymnal (Rev. and enl.) #316

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Christian Science Hymnal #60a

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Christian Science Hymnal #60b

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Christian Science Hymnal #60c

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Christian Science Hymnal #60

Grammar School Hymn Book #d222

Heart and Voice #d234

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Heart and Voice #115

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Hymn and Tune Book of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (Round Note Ed.) #911

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Hymn Book for Christian Worship #445

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Hymn Book for Christian Worship. 8th ed. #a445

Hymn Book of the Colored M.E. Church in America #d473

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Hymn Book of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South #911

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Hymns and Songs of Praise for Public and Social Worship #1182

Hymns for Children and Young Persons #d370

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Hymns for First-Day Schools #118

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Hymns for First-Day Schools (Rev. and Enl.) #118

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Hymns for Schools #88

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Hymns for the Church of Christ (3rd thousand) #640

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Hymns for the Church of Christ. (6th thousand) #640

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Hymns for the Sanctuary and Social Worship #718

Hymns for Use in Divine Worship ... Seventh-Day Adventists #d974

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Hymns in Harmony with Modern Thought #108

Hymns of Progress #d158

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Hymns of the "Jubilee Harp" #a784

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Hymns of the Church, Ancient and Modern #394

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International Song Service #218

Kind Words #d83

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Kind Words #9

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Little Sacred Songs #24

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Methodist Social Hymn Book #133

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One Hundred Choice Hymns #40

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One Hundred Choice Hymns #48

Our New Book for Sunday Schools, Prayer, Praise and Gospel Meetings #d57

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Peerless Praise #115

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Plymouth Collection #a1048

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Plymouth Collection of Hymns and Tunes; for the use of Christian Congregations #1048

Progressive Songster #d115

Pure Gold for the Sunday School #d118

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Sabbath School Bell No. 2 #42

Sabbath Songs for Children's Worship #d146

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Sacred Songs For Public Worship #62

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Sacred Songs For Public Worship #62

School Recreations #d95

Select Progressive Spiritual Hymns and Songs #d47

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Select Songs for the Singing Service #106

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Select Songs for the Sunday School #106

Soldier's Friend #d73

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Songs for Children #84

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Songs for the Sanctuary, or Hymns and Tunes for Christian Worship #801

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Songs for the Sanctuary; or Psalms and Hymns for Christian Worship (Baptist Ed.) #801

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Songs for the Sanctuary; or, Psalms and Hymns for Christian Worship (Words only) #801

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Songs for the Sanctuary #801

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Songs for the Sanctuary #801

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Songs for the Sanctuary #801

Songs of Conquest No. l #d73

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Songs of Praise #269

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Songs of the Church #503

Spiritual Melodies. Enl. & impr. ed. #d324

Spiritual Songs of the First National Association of Spiritualists #d98

Sunday School Hymn Book #d386

Sunday School Service and Hymn Book arranged by the Sunday School Committee #d139

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Sunday School Service Book and Hymnal #150

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Sunday-School Hymns #150

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Temple Melodies #488

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The American School Hymn Book. (New ed.) #CLXXVIII[CLXVIII]

The Anniversary and Sunday School Music Book No. 1-5 #d158

The Association Hymn Book #d113

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The Baptist Hymn and Tune Book #1048

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The Baptist Praise Book #920

The Christian Psalmist #d601

The Church Hymn Book #d879

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The Cyber Hymnal #9078

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The Fellowship Hymn Book #100

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The Fellowship Hymn Book #100

The Golden Harp #d289

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The Golden Hymn Book #236

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The Harp #511

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The Harp. 2nd ed. #a511

The Home and School Hymnal #198

The Hour of Praise #d59

The Hymnist #d94

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The Jubilee Harp #784

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The Junior Hymnal #71

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The Liberal Hymn Book #124

The New Christian Harp. 10th ed. #d213

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The New Jubilee Harp #550

Pages

Exclude 123 pre-1979 instances
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