John G. Sjōquist (1832-1915)

Two brief stories come down from oral tradition concerning this man who one of his biographers called an early pastoral leader with ‘a keen sense of humor and also of some poetic gifts.”

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• In Dassel, Minnesota, he often could be seen fishing in a local lake on his day off. It irritated someone in the community that he regularly used two lines, presumably to increase his catch, which was a clear violation of a county ordinance that no one could fish with more than one line at a time. Privately insisting that a game warden go out to enforce the law, there in the boat sat Sjōquist (pronounce wh-quist), caught in the act. When the warden asked, “Why are you fishing with two lines,” the pastor replied, “Because I like to.” “Well, you had better pull both lines in, because I will

have to fine you.’ Ever so slowly the veteran pastor complied, evidencing first a line with both

hook and bait. But when even more slowly he reeled in his second line, it curled up in mid-air, dangling there bait and hook free. The warden, confused, wondered what that was all about. “Well,” he said, smiling, “the first line, that was to catch fish with for dinner. The second was simply to

catch game wardens like you!”

• One can imagine how grateful as a pastor in those early days Sjōquist was when a young pharmacist set up shop in their small town. Wanting to support the young man, he asked his local doctor—who he also wanted to encourgae -- to give him a prescription. After all, he reasoned, paying the doctor was a way of helping him live—not to mention stay in Dassel. Getting it filled then, he also paid the young pharmacist, because, after all, he had to live as well. “Finally, arriving home after supporting both,” he said, “I promptly got rid of all the medicine, because, after all, I also have to live!”