The beloved LDS hymn "Come, Come, Ye Saints" was a unifying anthem for Church members and others observing the Saints' exodus from Nauvoo 150 years ago Feb. 4.

William Clayton, clerk to the Prophet Joseph Smith and later clerk to the Camp of Israel, wrote the hymn at Locust Creek, near present-day Seymour, Iowa, on April 15, 1846. In his journal, he recorded:"This morning Ellen Kimball came to me and wishes me much joy. She said Diantha

William Clayton's wifeT has a son. I told her I was afraid it was not so, but she said Brother Pond had received a letter. I went over to Pond's and he read that she had a fine fat boy on the 30th, but she was very sick with ague and mumps. Truly I feel to rejoice at this intelligence but feel sorry to hear of her sickness . . . . This morning I composed a new song - `All is well.' I feel to thank my heavenly father for my boy and pray that he will spare and preserve his life and that of his mother and so order it that we may soon meet again."

His words were set to the tune of an English folk song popular at the time and became the rallying song of all LDS pioneers who crossed the plains.

Chuck Offenburger, columnist with The Des Moines Register in Iowa's capital city, on Jan. 23, 1996, issued a call to his "fellow church choir members across Iowa."

In his column of that date, Offenburger, who is Catholic, wrote: "In our own church services on Sunday, Feb. 4, let's all honor an amazing chapter of history that happened in our state by singing the great Mormon hymn `Come, Come, Ye Saints.' "

He summarized the story of the exodus and the writing of the hymn, published the words to three verses, and concluded: "On the weekend of Feb. 3 and 4, a big crowd is expected to come to Nauvoo for programs commemorating the 150th anniversary of the trek's beginning. But we can honor it in our own churches too. Wouldn't all of us singing their song be a nice bond of God's people across this state?"

He offered to provide the words and music to interested choir directors.

The columnist received at least 50 calls in response, many of them in behalf of more than one church, and estimated the hymn would be sung in 100 Iowa congregations on Feb. 4.

On Feb. 2, Offenburger and his colleague, art director Matt Chatterley, who is LDS, joined with other Register staff members and entertained the newsroom at noon with a rendition of the hymn. Brother Chatterley of the Des Moines 3rd Ward, said they introduced themselves as the Des Moines Register Tabernacle Quintet. They received a standing ovation.

In Nauvoo, the hymn was sung twice on Feb. 4; once at the Nauvoo Ward sacrament meeting by the congregation and ward choir, and again at the commemoration fireside by a choir of stake members and missionaries in the familiar Spencer Cornwall arrangement.