The plaintiff in any judgment or decree, the record whereof has been destroyed, abstracted or lost, or his personal representatives, or other person claiming under or through them, or any of them, or any person whatever having an interest in the preservation of the evidence of such judgment or decree, may upon notice of not less than twenty-one days, served as a summons in actions is now served pursuant to law, upon the defendant therein or upon those upon whom his liability has devolved, or others interested to oppose the application, apply to the court in which such judgment or decree was rendered for leave to substitute a new record. If, upon hearing the evidence on each side, the court is satisfied of the existence and loss of such record, an order for leave to substitute shall be made, conforming as nearly as possible in all respects to the lost, abstracted or destroyed record; and if it be for the payment of money, the balance due thereon and date of lien, if any, shall be made to appear thereon. Such substituted record shall be good and valid in law to all intents and purposes.