Mike O’Connor, of The Hibernian Pipers, plays outside the Redwood Library & Athenaeum before ceremonies that are believed to be the first celebration of the anniversary of the King Charles II Charter of 1663.

The Providence Journal / Bob Breidenbach

NEWPORT

On July 8, 1663, jubilant residents lined the wharves of this bustling seaport and bells rang at churches all around town. What sparked the festivity was the arrival of a ship carrying a charter from King Charles II recognizing Rhode Island and guaranteeing its residents unprecedented religious freedoms.

Yesterday, 345 years later, historians and public officials sought to create the same sort of hoopla for a document whose contribution to fundamental American liberties has, they assert, been egregiously overlooked for centuries.

In what is believed to be the first celebration of the anniversary of the King Charles II Charter of 1663 since its arrival more than three centuries ago, church bells rang again. Uniform-clad members of the Newport Artillery fired off a resounding and smoky salvo. A bagpiper filled the air with resonant music. And speakers inside the historic Redwood Library & Athenaeum, eloquently described the importance of the charter and its author, a Baptist preacher from Newport named John Clarke who succeeded in convincing the king to sign it.

“This document handed to John Clarke … was a remarkable document,” said Bryant University President Ronald Machtley, the keynote speaker. “In fact, it was the first time a sovereign king had ever given to any of its protected territories the right to have a separation of church and government. Never before had this been done. Never before had it been entertained. So this was revolutionary. Some may argue it was the precursor to the First Amendment to the Constitution.”

Not only did the charter establish a “lively experiment” in Rhode Island providing “a full liberty in religious concernments,” it also helped restore the state’s boundaries following a land grab by Connecticut Gov. John Winthrop Jr. Had those lands not been returned, Little Rhody today might instead be nicknamed Tiny Rhody. About 80 percent of the land that is now part of Rhode Island — from the Blackstone Valley to South County — would be part of Connecticut.

“This is what Rhode Island would have looked like if we didn’t have the Charter of 1663,” said James Wermuth, while holding up a map highlighting only a few slivers of Rhode Island that lie within several miles of Narragansett Bay and the Sakonnet River.

Wermuth is the executive director of the John Clarke Society, which incorporated as a nonprofit organization in January and has become increasingly active in touting Clarke’s legacy

In addition to yesterday’s celebration, the General Assembly passed a resolution last month honoring the charter. Senate Minority Leader June Gibbs, R-Middletown, formally presented it the society yesterday.

Senate Majority Leader Teresa Paiva Weed, D-Newport, said that Wermuth’s visit to the State House had taught lawmakers a lot about the charter and Clarke. They subsequently agreed to designate the first Monday of October, forevermore, as John Clarke Day. Wermuth said more events are planned for the new holiday, which this year will mark the 400th anniversary of Clarke’s birthday.

During a break in the speaking program, members of the Newport Artillery swung open a door fronting Bellevue Avenue. As the audience watched from its seats, orders to “take aim” and “fire” were given, followed by a gunshot that echoed across the city.

Local historian Ralph Carpenter, who helped Wermuth in the planning of the event, followed up by “toasting” the charter, remarking that Pericles, the Athenian leader, first espoused democratic ideals in ancient Greece. “It took over 2,000 years of trial and error,” he said, before the likes of John Clarke could realize those ideals in Rhode Island and usher in a new republic founded on those principles.

Wermuth recounted how charters had commonly been signed by the king authorizing governments to rule over their respective colonies. But, he said, the one secured by Clarke “is unique in that for the first time in history it gave freedom, not tolerance, but freedom of religion.

“This is not known. Rhode Island, unfortunately, marks little more than a footnote in history. The author, Dr. John Clarke, is even less known for some reason,” he said. “History was written by the federalists. It was written in Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Virginia. They thought Rhode Island was too small to be of any consequence. And they left it out of the history books.

“The purpose of the John Clarke Society is to enlighten not only Newport, not only Rhode Island, but to enlighten America of the importance of what happened in Rhode Island in 1663.”

As the applause at conclusion of the meeting died down, and the bells at Trinity Church pealed for five minutes, the nearly 100 people who attended the meeting trickled out of the meeting room. As they headed out, some took the suggestion of Redwood director Cheryl Helms and looked up at a painting on the wall.

“Portrait of a clergyman” is the title of the painting of a man with his hand on what appears to be a book of Scripture.

“It is believed to be a portrait of John Clarke as painted in 1663,” Helms said.

Excerpt from the King Charles II Charter of 1663

“And whereas, in their humble addresse, they have ffreely declared, that is much on their hearts (if they may be permitted) to hold forth a livlie experiment, that a most flourishing civill state may stand and best bee maintained, and that among our English subjects, with a full libertie in religious concernments; and that true pietye rightly grounded upon gospel principles, will give the best and greatest security to sovereignetye, and will lay in the hearts of men the strongest obligations to true loyaltye…”

rsalit@projo.com