The Founding Meeting of the “Society of Biblical Studies and Exegesis” was “held in New York at the study of Rev. Dr. Washburn, Rector of Calvary Church, 103 East 21th St., NY.” In attendance were 18 scholars, including Ezra Abbott, Will J. Beecher, Charles A. Briggs, Francis Brown, Daniel Raynes Goodwin, George E. Day, Joseph Henry Thayer, Crawford H. Toy, and Philip Schaff. They adopted a constitution and by-laws and elected Daniel Goodwin as the first President of the Organization. Until 1896 the SBL held semiannual meeting, one in the Summer and one in the Winter of each year. From 1897 on, the practice of annual meetings “for two days at the Christmas holidays” was introduced. In 1970 the current pattern of meetings in the Fall was established.