The following is from “Chapter 1: Apostasy and Restoration” of John A. Tvedtnes, Joseph Smith and the Ancient World:
When there were no longer prophets
and apostles to guide the early Church, there was no single source of ongoing
revelation. Unable to rely on the living oracles of God, Christians had only
the Bible and oral traditions to guide them. Unfortunately, these sources did
not answer all of the questions that came up and a wide range of differing
opinions led to schisms. Because of this disunity, those who believed in Christ
were indeed “carried about with every wind of doctrine,” with no centralized
authority to set things straight. In this dire situation, God created, at some
point, to recognize the priesthood authority to local leaders, even though there
were many righteous souls among them and within the congregations they
governed.
Further Reading:
Not By Scripture Alone: A Latter-day Saint Refutation of Sola Scriptura
