Before Ellen claimed to have visions about Health Reform, she criticized another pastor for teaching his church to abstain from eating swine, and told him to stop teaching this based on a vision she received from God. Just a few years later, Ellen then claimed another vision, which revealed that eating swine is in fact against God’s commandments. There are no examples in scripture where God sends visions to prophets and messengers that are in direct contradiction with one another. The most important facet of this testimony is that Ellen claims “to have seen,” directly implying this was given to her in vision. The two opposing visions could not both have been given by God. 

• “Dear Bro. and Sr. ——: The Lord has seen fit in his goodness to give me a vision at this place, and among the different things shown, were somethings relating to you. I saw that all was not right with you. The enemy has been seeking your destruction, and through you to influence others….I saw that you had mistaken notions about afflicting your bodies, depriving yourselves of nourishing food. These things lead some of the church to think, surely God is with you, or you would not deny self, and sacrifice thus. But I saw that none of these things will make you more holy…I saw that your views were erroneous in these things, and you look at the church, and are watching them, noticing little things, when your attention should be turned to your own souls’ interest. God has not laid the burden of his flock upon you…. I saw that you are deceived in regard to your duty, and concerning the duty of others. Some have gone too far in the eating question….I saw that your views concerning swine's flesh would prove no injury if you have them to yourselves; but in your judgment and opinion you have made this question a test, and your actions have plainly shown your faith in this matter. If God requires his people to abstain from swine's flesh, he will convict them on the matter. He is just as willing to show his honest children their duty, as to show their duty to individuals upon whom he has not laid the burden of his work. If this is a duty of the church to abstain from swine's flesh, God will discover it to more than two or three. He will teach his church their duty. I saw that God was leading out a people, not a few separate individuals, one here and there, one believing this thing, another that. Angels of God are doing the work committed to their trust. The third angel is leading out a people, purifying a people, and unitedly they move with the third angel. I saw that some run ahead of the angels that are leading this people; but they have to retrace every step, and meekly follow no faster than the angels lead.” Testimony for the Church, No. 5 (1858)

 

James White:

• “Some of our good brethren are troubled in regard to eating swine’s flesh, and a very few abstain from it, thinking that the Bible forbids its use…we do not, by any means, believe that the Bible teaches that its proper use, in the gospel dispensation, is sinful…Certainly, if eating swine’s flesh is a sin in the sight of Heaven, in this dispensation, the New Testament has in some way taught us the fact. But we find that the New Testament does not, directly nor indirectly, teach any such thing…. But the New Testament so far from teaching that the use of swine’s flesh is wrong, that it affords good testimony that it is not forbidden…. Some of our good brethren have added “swine’s flesh” to the catalogue of things forbidden by the Holy Ghost, and the apostles and elders assembled at Jerusalem. But we feel called upon to protest against such a course, as being contrary to the plain teaching of the holy scriptures. Shall we lay a greater “burden” on the disciples than seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and the holy apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ? God forbid.” James White 1850- The Present Truth, vol. 1

 

Henry Carver was an SDA secretary who was acquainted with EGW and left the SDA church in 1866, rejecting her visions, and became a leader of the Church of God (Seventh Day). He wrote a book about Ellen and why he did not believe in her visions, he quoted from one of her letters: 

• “Dear Sister Curtis, I felt sorry for you as I read your letter. I believe you to be in error. The Lord showed me two or three years since that the use of swine's flesh was no test. Dear sister, if it is your husband's wish to use swine's flesh you should be perfectly clear to use it."

James reportedly scribbled on the back of the above letter:

• "That you may know how we stand on this question, I would say that we have just put down a two-hundred-pound porker." Mrs. E.G. White's Claims to Divine Inspiration Examined, H.E. Carver, 1877

 

Only 6 years after her 1858 letter telling the pastor God wants him to stop teaching against eating swine's flesh, she claimed to have her health vision which condemned swine’s flesh and all other meats, including clean meats: 

• "But since the Lord presented before me, in June, 1863, the subject of meat-eating in relation to health, I have left the use of meat. For a while it was rather difficult to bring my appetite to bread, for which, formerly, I have had but little relish. But by persevering, I have been able to do this. I have lived for nearly one year without meat." Spiritual Gifts, vol 4a, p. 153 (1864)

 

• "You know that the use of swine's flesh is contrary to His express command, given not because He wished to especially show His authority, but because it would be injurious to those who should eat it." Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 96 (1868)