History:

The First Baptist Church of Manila began in 1898 when 17 charter members of the town of Cinda (later renamed Manila) felt led to begin a church in a brush arbor. The charter members were Grandpa and Grandma Cannon, Sallie Cannon, Horass Cannon, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Cannon, Mr. and Mrs. John Bruce, Mr. and Mrs. Bud Byrd, Mr. and Mrs. ST Hatfield, Mr. and Mrs. RL Williford. Horass Cannon and Sallie Cannon built an arbor to worship in until the church could be built. Building began in 1900 and was completed in 1901. Jim Cannon owned a sawmill and sawed the lumber taken from the Big Lake area to build the building. Mirium Williford was in charge of raising money to finance the building. The membership organized and became the Manila Missionary Baptist Church.

The church then applied to the Mt. Zion Baptist Association in the fall of 1901 and became part of that organization. The building was located on the corner of what is presently Raleigh and Duncan Streets, now part of the Manila Cemetery.