"The Lord's Supper a Church Ordinance, and So Observed by the Apostolic Churches" is a profound theological treatise by J. R. Graves, a seminal figure in American Baptist history. This work examines the nature of the Eucharist not merely as a symbolic act, but as a formal ordinance strictly governed by the local church body. Graves meticulously analyzes the practices of the early apostolic churches to argue for a restricted communion, asserting that the Lord's Supper is an institutional rite intended for baptized believers within a specific visible church.

Through rigorous scriptural analysis and historical inquiry, Graves explores the relationship between church authority and the administration of the sacraments. The book addresses fundamental questions regarding who is eligible to participate in the table and who possesses the scriptural right to preside over the service. As a foundational text for Landmark Baptist theology, this work provides essential insight into the ecclesiastical debates that shaped denominational identities in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It remains a vital resource for scholars of Christian history, theology, and those interested in the historical development of Baptist ecclesiology and the preservation of apostolic tradition.

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