On the filing of said petition with the clerk of said court, it shall be the duty of said clerk to cause a notice to be published in some public newspaper published in the county where the cause is pending, and if there be no newspaper published in said county, then in some public newspaper published nearest to the county seat of said county, addressed to all whom it may concern, and setting forth the filing of said petition, a description of the lands in said petition described, and the estate or interest claimed therein by said petitioner or petitioners, and that a decree will be entered in said cause at the next term of said court after the due publication of said notice, and the title or interest to or in said land adjudged to said petitioner or petitioners, according to the prayer of said petition; which said notice shall be published once a week for at least four weeks, the last insertion to be at least four weeks prior to the term of said court; and if any person or persons shall be in possession of said lands in the petition described, then a copy of the notice shall be duly served upon such person or persons, at least twenty days previous to said regular term of said court, subsequent to the publication of said notice, as herein provided; and at the next term of said court after the due publication of said notice, the petitioner or petitioners may produce and submit to the court such evidence and proof of title or interest to or in the said lands in the petition described, as he may be able, and also touching and concerning the loss or destruction of his said deed or other evidence of title in and to the lands; which evidence and proofs shall be taken, and proceedings had, after the form and practice and proceedings in civil cases in said court.