though raised in a congregationalist family, graves joined a baptist church at age 15. contemporary fellow ministers in the southern baptist convention praised his preaching abilities. thomas treadwell eaton wrote, "we have seen him hold a congregation packed uncomfortably, for three hours and a half without any sign of weariness on their part. this was not done once or twice, but scores of times." denominational leader james bruton gambrell described one of graves' sermons at a small church in mississippi as "the greatest sermon i ever heard." scholars have recognized graves as an early and chief promulgator of the landmark movement. the subject's nashville publishing house, graves, marks, & co, which later became south-western publishing, published all of fellow 'landmarker' amos cooper dayton's books. both were expelled as 'schismatics' between 1858 and 1859 from the nashville first baptist church due to their theological perspectives on their apostolic connection.