Kerfoot served on a seven-member Commission of bishops that dealt with "The Reform Movement in Mexico." At the General Convention of October 1874, the House of Bishops met in secret session to consider a memorial from "Members of the Synod of the Church of Jesus in Mexico." The memorial solicited American bishops consecrate the Rev. Dr. Riley as a bishop for their church. This was done. Kerfoot, who had had numerous interviews with Riley, supported the consecration. However, the new bishop's actions led to the House of Bishops at the General Convention of 1883 to unanimously request the "removal of his jurisdiction."