Hazen G. Werner (1895-1988), American bishop, was born on July 29, 1895, in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Samuel E. and Emma E. (Graff) Werner. From Albion College he received the A.B. degree in 1920; from Drew Theological Seminary, B.D., 1923. On May 22, 1924, he married Catherine Stewart of New York City. They had two children. Hazen Werner was admitted on trial in the Michigan Conference in 1920, ordained deacon, 1922, and Elder in 1924. He was pastor of Westlawn Church, Detroit, 1924-1928; Cass Avenue Church, Detroit, 1928-1931; Court Street Church, Flint, Michigan, 1931-1934; Grace Church, Dayton, Ohio, 1934-1945. From 1945 to 1948 he taught practical theology at Drew Theological Seminary. Werner was elected bishop of The Methodist Church in 1948 by the North Central Jurisdictional Conference, and was appointed resident bishop of the Ohio Area. In 1951 he was a delegate to the Ecumenical Methodist Conference, Oxford, England, and in 1956 a speaker at the ninth World Methodist Conference. He was chairman of the National Methodist Family Life Conferences in Chicago, 1951; Cleveland, 1954; Chicago, 1958; and Chicago, 1962. In 1964 he was appointed chairman of the World Family Life Committee as well as chairman of the General Committee on The Advance. As a Bishop for the United Methodist Church, he served as a member of the Board of Education, the Board of Trustees, and the Commission on Promotion and Cultivation. He also served as a member of the Ewha University (Korea) Foundation from 1972 to 1982.
Reuben Yeakel (1827-1904) was an American Evangelical Association editor and bishop. His pastoral ministry began in 1853 in the East Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical Association. In 1855 he married Sarah Schubert. After Sarah's death he married Caroline Schloser Klein, widow of John Klein.
Yeakel was elected the first corresponding secretary of the missionary society in 1859. In 1863 he became an editor of Sunday school literature, including The Sunday School Messenger. Subsequently, he edited two general church periodicals: The Evangelical Messenger (1871) and (as assistant editor) Der Christliche Botschafter (1833). He supported holiness teachings and was a prominent member of the National Holiness Association, working with John Inskip and W. MacDonald. In 1870 he co-founded The Living Epistle, the first and only holiness magazine of his denomination. Yeakel became bishop in 1871, a position he held until 1879. He was principal of Union Biblical Institute (later named Evangelical Theological Seminary) from 1879 to 1883.
Yeakel published several important works: Jacob Albrecht und seine Mitarbeiter, 1879 and 1883 (English); The Church Discipline, Doctrine, and Confession of Faith, 1899; The Genius of the Evangelical Church, 1900; "Geschichte der Evangelischen Gemeinschaft, Vol. I, 1890 and 1894 (English), Vol. II, 1895 (English); and Bishop Joseph Long, 1897.