Biblical Seminary of New York with Columbiona on Lake George Records, 1881 -- 1973

After an initial meeting on October 29th 1900, Wilbert Webster White opened the Bible Teachers' College in Montclair, New Jersey on January 8th 1901 with 32 students and White as the only teacher. Unlike other similar institutions, the College was founded by White with the Bible as the central focus of the curriculum. From this beginning New York Theological Seminary (NYTS) developed, although the seminary's name has changed several times over the years. The Bible Teachers' College was planned by White to be neither a Bible Institute nor a Theological Seminary. However, because it did not meet the New York State's criteria as a college, it was renamed the Bible Teachers' Training School when it moved to New York in 1902. In those early days most students, a large proportion being women, were aiming to undertake the career of Bible teacher, missionary, or YMCA worker rather than as minister. This seminary, from its early years, was open to both men and women from different denominations and cultural traditions. Some courses were held in Italian when many Italian immigrants were arriving in New York, and later courses using Korean and other languages were provided according to need. Early seminary photographs show a proportion of women as both students and teachers, with some international students dressed in their national costumes. The institution's name was changed to Biblical Seminary of New York when it moved to four neighborhood houses in downtown New York in 1921. In 1927 a new building was opened for BSNY on East 49th street, with 2 of its nine floors operating as neighborhood houses. As a special project in 1925 Biblical Seminary, with assistance from a donor, purchased property on Silver Bay, Lake George, in upper New York State. The property became known as Columbiona on the Lake. President White named this from a combination of the name of Saint Columba and the Scottish Island of Iona. Starting in the summer of 1925 White initiated the first of the multiple summer conferences at this peaceful site. An average of fifteen to twenty men, pastors, seminary presidents and professors, as well as administrative staff from denominational or ecumenical boards attended each conference by invitation from W. W. White. Columbiona conferences continued for 6 years, with President W. W. White as their charismatic leader. 1965-2966 saw the renaming of Biblical Seminary New York as New York Theological Seminary. In 1969 George W. "Bill" Webber was hired as Chief Development Officer, then as President. NYTS was relocated within New York in the 1970s with a redesign of its mission responding to the needs of urban churches and pastors. The Seminary's former properties in New York on 49th Street were sold in 1982. Since 2002 NYTS is located at the Interchurch Center in Morningside Heights, New York, with classes held in nearby Riverside Church.