▁ 2 8 . 1 8 - 1 9 . ▁ ▁Rev . ▁Call ender ' s ▁role ▁in ▁New port ▁from ▁ 1 7 3 1 ▁to ▁ 1 7 4 8 , ▁ 4 0 - year s ▁before ▁the ▁rat ification ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Constitution ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 8 , ▁has ▁significance ▁to ▁the ▁early ▁history ▁of ▁the ▁Bapt ist ▁Church ▁in ▁North ▁America . ▁ ▁Roger ▁Williams ▁and ▁John ▁Clar ke ▁established ▁The ▁Bapt ist ▁Church ▁in ▁New port ▁for ▁religious ▁freedom . ▁In ▁ 1 6 3 8 , ▁Minister ▁John ▁Clar ke ▁of ▁Great ▁Britain ▁was ▁ex iled ▁from ▁Massachusetts ▁after ▁disag ree ing ▁with ▁Pur itan ▁leaders , ▁and ▁ ▁sought ▁freedom ▁of ▁worship ▁in ▁nearby ▁Port sm outh , ▁Rh ode ▁Island , ▁( New port ▁County ) ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 6 3 9 , ▁Williams ▁had ▁founded ▁a ▁Bapt ist ▁church ▁in ▁Prov idence , ▁Rh ode ▁Island , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 6 4 0 , ▁Clar ke ▁had ▁established ▁a ▁Bapt ist ▁church ▁in ▁New port , ▁Rh ode ▁Island . ▁ ▁Soci etal ▁invol vement ▁Short ly ▁after ▁moving ▁to ▁New port , ▁Rh ode ▁Island ▁in ▁ 1 7 3 1 , ▁Rev . ▁Call ender ▁became ▁deeply ▁interested ▁in ▁the ▁public ▁schools ▁of ▁New port . ▁He ▁also ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁an ▁exclusive ▁philosoph ical ▁and ▁literary ▁society , ▁later ▁incorpor ated ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 4 ▁as ▁the ▁company ▁of