When Jefferson was elected President, an old lady in a town in New England was convinced he would soon confiscate all the Bibles, so she went to the only Republican she knew in her town and asked him to hide her Bible for her. He tried to tell her that she had nothing to worry about but she wouldn’t listen. Finally he pointed out that if they confiscated all the Bibles, her Bible wouldn’t be safe in his house either. Her reply was that they’d never think of looking for a Bible in the house of a Republican.
That’s a fun anecdote.
Some things never change, I guess. Apparently the politics of fear preceded Jefferson’s co-founding of the Democrat-Republican party.
On the other hand some things completely change over time. Folks in the North East concerned about the bible? And concerns about Republicans not respecting God? Almost makes a fella believe in evolution.