Many States maintained a state religion well into the nineteenth century. The so-called establishment clause did not prohibit that power to the States, it prohibited the establishment of a national church.
Many of the colonies had majorities of religious dissenters. State Churches varied as a result, from Anglican in the south to Congregationalist and others in New England. The Constitution would never have been ratified if the current popular understanding actually was the legal meaning of the “establishment clause.”
I live in North Carolina. I don’t want it to have a state church. Most of my forebears were persecuted by state churches of various kinds, in the British Isles, on the European continent and even on this continent, particularly in Virginia.
But, I support any effort to return to enumerated powers. Federal overrreach has gotten truly astounding and more than a little scary.
I agree with you. I have a background in history and go into detail about my thoughts concerning this issue in post #81.