in the centre of the Tracing Board is a votive altar dedicated to friendship
And later:
Q. What does the altar signify, that is in the centre?
A. This altar signifies the sacred deposit of the virtues one obliges himself to follow when taking bis oath.
Thus says the Latomia document 175-t-e. This document is a translation of Cayers Maçonniques (National Library of Australia, MS 1097/44), which is the first volume of Maçonnerie des Hommes, the other five volumes are in the Kloss collection in Den Haag in the Netherlands.
The concerning degree is called “Apprentice Mason of Practice” and is the fourth degree presented in this volume (after Entered Apprentis, Fellowcraft and Master Mason).
Cayers Maçonniques (National Library of Australia, MS 1097/44) Latomia 175-t-e