He pictured God's anger upon the sinful, and encouraged them to dance and to make merry; instructed them in the mysteries of the Kingdom and instigated theatrical performances to distract their minds.

He was bland and bullying by turns; affable and gruff; jocose and solemn--always what he thought their fainting spirits needed.

He was feared and loved--feared first.
They learned to dread the iron of his hand and the steel of his heart--the dauntless spirit of him that left them no longer their own masters, yet kept them loving their bondage.

Through the dreadful cold and famine, the five thousand of them ceased not to pray nor lost their faith--their great faith that they had been especially favoured of God and were at the last to be saved alone from the wreck of the world.
The efforts of Brigham to put heart into the people were ably seconded by Joel Rae.

He was loved like Brigham, but not feared.